Improvement in step-ladders



L'. l sAAcs el' R. H A LLID AY.

ste'p- Ladder.

Patented AprilA 13, 187.5.

JACOB L. ISAAGS AND RICHARD HALLDAY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPRQJEN'ENT its STEPLADDERS.

Specilicalion forming part of Letters Patent No. E 62,@259 dated April13, 1875; application filed February 23, 1875.

To all whom 'it may conc-cra Be it known that we, J A0012 L. Isaacs andR101-IARD HALLIDAY, both of St. Louis, county of St. Louis and State ofMissouri, have invented an Improved Step -Ladder, ot' which thefollowing is a speciiication:

This invention relates to certain improved features of step-ladders, asfollows: first, to the peculiar manner of connect-ing the back supportto the ladder proper, so that the latter can be used with or without theformer; secondly, to the further improved manner of connection, by meanswhereof the back support can be adj usted and secured in varyin heights,as the emergencies of use demand; thirdly, to the arrangement ci' thecord attachment, and manner of securing the saine to irinly hold theladder parts in position; fourthly, in providing the top of the ladderwith an additional top having a slide movement, and the manner ofsecuring the same, from which baskets, buckets, and other receptaclesmay be suspended; lastly, to certain details of construction of parts,all of which will more fully appear.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved ladder asadapted for use on level surfaces. Fig. 2 is a side elevaf tion, showingthe ladder adapted for stairways and uneven surfaces. Fig. Sis anenlarged perspective of the top portions of the ladder, showing itssliding top and manner of securing the saine. Fig. 4. is an enlargeddetail transverse section of the top part of the ladder, showing detailfeatures. Fig. 5 is a side view of the connecting-bar.

A is the ladder or front part thereof, IB, its back support. Ourimproved inannerotconnecting the back support to the ladder is asfollows: To the ladder A we secure journalbearings, as at a., (see Fig.4;) also, tothe back support B we secure the journalbearings, as at b.(See Figs. 2 and 4.) To connect the ladder parts, these are brought inposition, so that the journal-bearings a b are brought alongside of eachother. This done, a connecting-bar, 11', (see Fic'. 5,) is passedthrough said bearings a. b, as indicated in Figs. 1,2, 4L. Theconnecting-bar can thus be readily inserted or taken out ofthebea-rings, and this enables us to use the ladder proper without its bucksupportwa feature most advantageous and frequently required, and whichis readily apparent. When the parts A ll are connected at the top, asaforesaid and shown in Fig'. l, the step-ladder can be used on levelsurfaces. In order to prevent the connecting-bar from self-disengagement, we provide a movable plate, c, which we pivot in such wise to asuitable bea-ringplate that said movable plate can be made to assume ahorizontal or nearly vertical position, as shown in Figs. l and 2. lVhenin such latter position the movable plate is brought sufficiently inline with the connecting-bar to prevent its disengagement from itsbearings. lt is only when the movable plate is nearly hori- Zonta-l thatsaid connecting-bar can be removed. The further purpose ofthe plate c,when nearly vertical, is to secure the sliding top stationary, and whennearly horizontal to allow said slide-top to be extended to one side. aswill hereinafter appear. The aforesaid manner ot' connecting the ladderparts A B also enables us to adapt the step-ladder for use on stairwaysor uneven surfaces. This we can do by means oi' the further duplicatedjournal-bearings d, which we secure to the back support. (See Figs. land 2.) The same connection can therefore be made in any of the seriesof bearings d., thus rendering the ladder adjustable, and adapted toassume the varying positions frequently demanded. E is the cordattachment, which secures the lower part of the back support to that ofthe ladder. Our arrangement ofthe cord E is such as to be irst fastenedto the back support 5 thence passed through two staples at 6,- frolnthence the loop end can be carried and hung to any of the side hooks con each step, as indicated in Fig. l.. Thus attaching the cord, theoperator can readily disengage the loop end from its hook, and drawinward or extend outward the back support, and fasten said cord to theproper hook. A most ready way is thus had to secure the ladder parts injust the position requiret. NVe further provide the top of the ladderwith a sliding top, which is to serve as the top proper, and especiallyadapt the ladder for uses such as to suspend a bucket basket, or otherreceptacle. F is therefore this sliding top, which we secure to the topfof the ladder as follows: A band or strap, j",

ai seen in Figs. 3 and 4, passes through slots 2f3, which are in thetopfof the ladder. The bandj'l thus passed through the slotsfzf3 has itsends secured to the sliding top F. The sliding top is thus not onlysecured to the top j', but the band f1 further permits a slide movementto be imparted to the sliding top. This slide movement is limited to thelength of the slot f2, which, as shown in Fig. 3, extends from one sideof the nprights to another. The slot f3, however, as shown in Fig. 3,reaches to the ends of the false topf. This feature is for the purposeof allowing the use and operation of suspended hooks f4. The hooks f4are pivoted to the slide-top, and, when vertically suspended, (see Fig.1,) pass through the slot f3. This arrangen'icnt ofthe hooks f4 enablesus further to secure the opposite side of the slide-top when the same isin an extended position, as shown in Fig. 3. The hooks act as afastener, no matter to what side the sliding' top is extended;` also, asapparent, one or both hooks are at all times serviceable upon which tohang a receptacle.

In order to slide the slide-top it is necessary, as before stated, thatthe movable plates c shall be nearly horizontal. When the slidetop isnot used it is held stationary by the projecting movable plate c in theposition shown in Fi g. 1. Our step-ladder thus made, possessing` theimproved features, as described, is serviceable for the use ofpaintcrs,paper-hangers, fruit-growers, artisans, and for stores and generalhousehold purposes.

What we claim is- 1. The back support B, having journal-bearings d, incombination With connecting-bar b and journal-bearing 01l of a ladder,as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the ladder A, having the movable plate c,journal-bearing a, with connecting-bar b', journal-bearing b or d, andback support B, to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The cord attachment E, when united to the back support, and arrangedto pass through staples e, and looped to side hooks e', in the mannerherein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. t

4. In combination with the topf of a ladder, the sliding top F, baud f1,to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination With the topf of a ladder, the sliding top F, its bandf1, and hooks f3, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The sliding` top F, band f1, hooks f3, movable plate c, incombination with the top f of a ladder, to operate as and for thepurpose set forth. y

In testimony of said invention we have hereunto set our hands.

JACOB L. ISAAGS. RICHARD HALLIDAY.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W HERTHEL, CHAs. F. MEIsNER.

